Comb accessory



March 9, 194s.

F. R. HEYMAN COMB ACCESSORY Filed July 30, 1946 INVENTOR FANN/E R. HEYMAN ATTOR EY Patented Mar. 9, 1948 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE Combs have been used since the dawn'of history for separating, adjusting and cleaning human hair but, as they are generally made from relatively hard substances, such as wood, vulcanized rubber, Celluloid or other organic plastics, their cleaning efliciency is relatively low. .At most, they can only remove sizable extraneous matter. Dust and the like are left on the hair to impart a dull, lusterless appearance thereto. Beautioians advise frequent combing and brushing with a stiff brush to keep the hair lustrous. which simply means that with the added aid of a stifi brush, more of the finer dust will be removed from the hair. The careful woman has a real problem today, particularly the girl with blond hair, under metropolitan atmospheric conditions of coal dust, smoke and grime. She must Wash her hair more frequently than is really good for it, in order to keep it presentable.

I have discovered a simple expedient which, when used as an accessory on a comb, will not only do a better cleaning job on the hair than a combined comb and brush operation, but will do it quicker, more efficiently and leave the comb in clean and hygienic condition when removed therefrom.

I accomplish these results through the employment of a strip of fabric which may be conveniently in the neighborhood of two inches wide and about the length of the comb on which it is to be used and along the longitudinal center line of this strip is a series of perforations corresponding in placement to the teeth of the comb. The teeth of the comb are adapted to be thrust closely through these openings and the two lateral halves of the strip folded loosely over the back or plate of the comb and held in this position while the comb is passed through the hair in the usual manner Various kinds of fabric wherein a pile is woven into the fabric may be used, but I find that Turkish toweling, washrag cloth or other rough surfaced material having relatively deep nap or pile will function most efficiently.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claim, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a fiat fabric strip according to this invention. Initial 1 Claim. (01. 132-27) r 2 position of the comb is indicated in phantom in this-figure.

Figure 2 is a like view, but with the teeth of the comb thrust'through the holes in the strip and a part of the strip folded over the back of the comb and ready for use.

The strip of material I shown in the drawings may be conveniently made fiat, in the running yard, and cut to the length or lengths desired. It is preferably selvaged along both of its longitudinal edges at 2-2. The holes 3 along its longitudinal medial line are preferably made by hemst-itching the fabric along that line, for I find that holes formed by hemstitching such a fabric receive and conform closely to the teeth of practically all combs. The ends of the strip lengths may be finished by hems or the like, if desired, but this is not necessary.

The manner of associating such a strip with a comb is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The teeth t of the comb C are first thrust through the holes 3, while the strip is fiat, as shown in Figure 1 and in the fore part of Figure 2. The lateral halves of the strip are then folded over the back b of the comb, as shown at the right hand end of Figure 2 and may be held in this position by the fingers of the hand, while the comb is used, or they may be secured to one another over the back of the comb by stitches or snap fasteners or other appropriate means. The finger hold will generally be found satisfactory as .there is no real need of firmly aflixing the fabric strip to the comb. If this strip sags or bags somewhat, it will be advantageous, rather than detrimental, for thereby more of the fabric nap will be brought into contact with the hair and more intimate rubbing action between the fabric and individual hairs will result.

There is a nice interaction between the comb and the fabric when acting upon hair. The teeth of the comb separate the hairs so as to bring them individually into rubbing contact with the towel-ing which, because of its soft deep nap, of itself, has a combing action on the individual hairs to scrape and remove therefrom coarse and fine dust and spread the natural oil on the hair in a manner to give it that smooth, glossy, clean appearance so sought after by discriminating women.

Excess oil and grease, characteristic of some hair, is absorbed by the toweling and thus removed from the head, along with coal dust, grit and dandrulf, All these are soaked up by and adhere to the toweling, so that, when this fabric is removed from the comb, it carries with it all such extraneous matter and leaves the comb clean. Accumulation of grease and dandruff between the teeth of the comb, as heretofore so common, is eliminated.

The fabric strip may be also used on the comb to expedite drying of the hair after washing for much more intimate contact can be had between the toweling and hair, according to this invention, than is possible by ordinary towel drying of the hair as usually performed.

If the hair is to be scented, appropriate scents may be applied to the fabric to be transferred thereby to the hair, so as to impart thereto that subtle fragrance so desirable.

The device of this invention is. so cheap and economical that it is adapted for a single use, although, if desired, it may be washed out after removal from the comb and reused again and again.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the present invention in its preferred practical form, but the invention is to be understood as commensurate with the appended claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what back edge of the comb.

FANNIE R. HEYMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,249,334 Colchin Dec. 11, 1917 2,262,367 Major et al. Nov. 11, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 364,548 Germany Nov. 28, 1922 

